Gampel Policy Is Loud And Clear

Bells, whistles and horns are prohibited from Gampel Pavilion in Storrs at University of Connecticut basketball games.

Ron Dubois, associate director of athletics/operations and facilities, said this announcement is made to the crowd before each game:

"Please do not throw objects in the Pavilion as it is dangerous to the players, officials and your fellow UConn fans. Also horns, whistles or bells are prohibited inside the arena as they are distractions to players and proper officiating of the game."

But sometimes a bell or other noisemaking instrument is brought into the arena. Dubois said because of the noise generated by the usual sellout crowd of 8,241, all such devices cannot be detected.

"We can't hear everything," he said. "We don't have a metal detector for the fans to go through when they come in. And we can't hear everything. We don't want to do that. We have respect for the fans."

And Dubois said most fans who attend UConn games respect other fans, the players, officials and the game.

But if a fan brings a bell into Gampel and is detected with it or creates a disturbance, Dubois said a member of the security staff will ask the fan to give it up. The fan would be able to pick it up after the game. If a fan is ringing a bell or using another noisemaker, such as an air horn or megaphone, the fan would be asked first to stop and then to give it up. If the fan refuses either request, then he would be escorted out of the arena.

"Can we catch all of them all the time? No," athletic director Lew Perkins said. "Ninety-nine percent of our fans are good fans who are cooperative."

In addition to security personnel taking action to ensure there is no disruption of the game, fans can report to security a fan who has a noisemaker or who is using it.

Dubois said when Gampel Pavilion opened Jan. 27, 1990, one vendor was selling bells inside the arena. "It happened for only part of that first game," he said. "As soon as we found out, we put an end to selling bells in Gampel."

Dubois said the noise rules at UConn's outside playing venues are not as strict because the noise is more diffused: "If somebody

has some drums and is playing them at a football game, so long as it doesn't disrupt the game, then that's not a problem